Latest California Healthline Stories
Vacaville, Chowchilla Prison Nurses End ‘Sickouts,’ Union Resumes Contract Negotiations
Negotiations resumed yesterday between state officials and union leaders representing California’s prison nurses after a “tumultuous” week that included nurse “sickouts” at three state prisons, the Fresno Bee reports.
Lorillard Tobacco Co. Sues Foundation Over ‘Truth’ Anti-Smoking Ad Campaign
As expected, Lorillard Tobacco Co. filed a lawsuit yesterday against the American Legacy Foundation, claiming that the foundation’s anti-smoking ads violate the 1998 national tobacco settlement by “vilifying” tobacco companies, Bloomberg News/Los Angeles Times reports.
Colin Powell Defends MTV Condom Remarks
Despite criticism from conservative groups, Secretary of State Colin Powell over the weekend defended remarks he made last week on an MTV youth forum in which he urged condom use as a way to prevent the spread of HIV, the Washington Times reports.
Los Angeles County Computer System Improperly Denies Medi-Cal Benefits
A Los Angeles County computer system that was designed to automate welfare eligibility determinations is millions of dollars over its $152 million budget and “wrongly den[ies]” health benefits to many Medi-Cal beneficiaries, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Medi-Cal May Pay to Treat Sexual Partners of Beneficiaries Infected with Chlamydia
Medi-Cal officials have proposed paying for chlamydia medications for the sexual partners of beneficiaries with the disease, following the enactment last year of a state law that allows doctors to prescribe medication for the sexual partners of patients diagnosed with chlamydia without an examination of the partners, the Los Angeles Times reports.
State Hospitals Offer Bonuses to Recruit and Educate Nurses
California hospitals have begun to offer a number of bonuses to help recruit and educate nurses, the Los Angeles Times reports.
90% of Nursing Homes Lack Adequate Staffing, HHS Study Finds
More than 90% of U.S. nursing homes have too few employees to take “proper care” of patients, a shortage that is expected to worsen in the future, according to a new HHS study.
Papers, Columnists Weigh in on FY 2003 Budget Proposal
A number of newspapers and columnists have been offering their opinions in the past week about the health care components of President Bush’s fiscal year 2003 budget proposal.
Bush Will Not Name Fauci Director of NIH, St. Louis Dispatch Reports
The Bush administration will not name Anthony Fauci as the director of the NIH because of administrative and political issues, including Fauci’s unknown stance on abortion rights, according to an unidentified official in the administration, the AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Nevada, North Dakota and Wyoming Look to Expand ‘Smart Card’ Pilot Program
Nevada, North Dakota and Wyoming are seeking to expand a pilot program that uses “smart cards” to deliver health benefits to low-income families.